Faulconer called the North American Free Trade Agreement, which President Trump threatened to cancel and is now being renegotiated, a “story of success” that has generated $5.5 billion in export growth for the San Diego region.

“The strength of our relationship with Mexico is a competitive advantage,” he said. “There has never been a more critical time for border cities to champion our trade with Mexico.”

Faulconer, who is a Republican, said the San Diego region’s leaders need tell federal officials who “live thousands of miles away from our border…why NAFTA is so incredibly important.”